Skylight construction



June 30, 1931.

G. H. L'r-:NKE

SKYLIGHT CONSTRUCTION Filed. June 4. 1928' Patented ,lune 30, 1931 l UNITED STATES GEORGE H. LENKE, F CICERO, ILLENOIS sxYLIGr-rr ooNs'rRUcTroN Application filed .Tune 4, 1928,. Seria1No.i282,625.

My invention relates to improvements in skylight constructions andthe like and one of its objects is the provision of a generally improved, simplified and inexpensive seating strip or supporting bar for seating or.

mounting the glass panels or panes, without the use of putty or cement.

Another object is the provision of substantially a line contact of the seating strip or strips with the glass panels or panes and preferably a double line contact with a condensation pocket therebetween. The line contact and construction of the present strip permit the strip to conform itself to irregularities in the surface of the glass and to provide waterproof contact therewith at all times. The present strip is, preferably, formed of relatively soft, thin metal that will not harden or break the glass after use and although it isadapted for clamping and sealing the glass firmly and effectively at all times, it allows expansion and contraction and the relative movement produced thereby without breaking the glass.

the present invention is the provision of an improved mounting for the seating strip or strips, which mounting not only reducesor minimizes the amount of metal required in 3o the seating strip itself but also simplifies the construction of the gutteror other support for the seatingy strip and reduces the amount of metal therein. The present seating strip and gutter or other strip supporting structure permits quick and -convenient mounting and removal of the glass panels or panes for the purpose ofinitia] installation, repair or removal.

A further provision of the present invention is a generally improved and simplified seating strip supporting structure and agenerally improved and simplified trough or gutter arrangement, for preventing Water or condensation froml dripping into the room,

e5 in case of sweating of the glass caused by temperature changes, or in the event of leakage between the glass and the seating strip or strips. Y

The present invention hasv particular 10 utility in connection with skylight construc- Another and highly important object of tions and I shall illustrate and describe the same in connection with suchy a construction,

but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereby, to use in connection y with skylights alone, but may be employed in window or show-case constructionsy or wherever else suitable or desired.

The invention is illustrated in the accom panying-drawings, in which: y

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a skylight construction embodying the present invention,

Figure 2 is` a fragmentary perspective view of the seating strip;

Figure 3 is a sectional view, showing anotherform of gutter and seating strip supporting structure; and

Figure l-is a sectional View, similar to Figure 2, showing a double pane or double glazed construction, embodying the Vpresent invention.

Referring first to: Figure 1, the reference character 5 designates, in general, a skylight in which the customary or suitable glass panes or panels are indicated at 6v and 7. The glass panes or panels 6 and 7 have adjacent marginal edges, separated at 8, and it is with the mountingand sealing of these adjacent marginal edges that the presentin vention is particularly concerned. l Y

The supporting or mounting structure is shown. as underlying the adjacent marginal edges of the glass. panes or panels 6 and 7 This supporting or mounting structure is indicated, generally,.at 9 and comprises an upwardly opening 'channel-shaped' trough or gutter 10, preferably of suitable sheet metal construction. The gutterfor'trough 10 is shown as havinga base 12 and upright sides 14, normal to thebase 12 and parallel with each other. The upper marginal edges of the sidesv 14 are preferably flared out at 15. f Y v AV plurality of generally U-shaped metallic supports 18 are spaced through the trough or gutter 10 in inverted position with their depending legs 19 soldered, welded, or otherwise suitably secured at 2O to the sidesy 141 of the gutter' l0. The upper bases 21 ofthe members 18 support a relatively shallowv mi? inner gutter 22, said inner gutter 22 forming a support for the seating and mounting strips 23 for the glass panes or panels 6 and 7.

The inner gutter 22 has a base 24 suitably secured to the bases 21 of the supporting members 18, as will be hereinafter described, and along the opposite edges of the base 24 are the upright marginal anges 26, which with the present construction of the seating strip 23, effectively support said strips 23 in proper position beneath the glass panes or panels 6 and 7. The inner gutter or relatively shallow trough 22 receives any` leakage through the space 8 and prevents saine from dripping into the room, and the gutter or trough 10 forms an outer gutter for receiving any leakage between the glass panes and the seating strips 23 and preventing same from dripping into the room.

The seating strips 23 are, preferably, formed of relatively thin strips of relatively soft metal, preferably copper or zinc. Each strip 23 has a pair of integral and outwardly flared wings 30 along one side of the strip and arranged to engage the under sides of the panes yor panels 6 and 7. The body portion of each strip 23 between the wings 30, it being understood that both strips 23 are identical or substantially :identical, has a double fold 31, 32, disposed between the wing-sI 3() Aand forming a groove 34, which groove 34 opens from the opposite side of the strip. One of the seating strips 23 is mounted upon each of the upright flanges 26 of the inner gutter 22, one flange 26 projecting into the groove 34 of each strip 23 and Vbetween the folds 31 and 32. The top of the groove 34 is closed at 35 .by the doubling over from one fold 31 to the other fold 32 and the iiange 26 preferably enters up to and seats the closed end 35 although, of course, this may vary. The double fold 31, 32 and downwardly opening ,grooves 34 enables the seating strips 23 to be supported upon the upright fianges of thesimple channel gutter 22 and eliminates the necessity of forming Vchannel seats along the opposite sidesof the .gutter or supporting structure. Y

This reduces the amount ofmetal required in the gutter or supporting structure and materially simplifies theconstruction and assembly thereof. Asthe seating strips 23 are forced into engagement with the adjacent ksurfaces of the glass panels 6 and 7,

the wings 30 of the seating strip are slid'V able in opposite directions upon the surfaces of the panelsl 6 and 7. Obviously, these wings 30 have substantial line contact with the glass panes or panels and this line contact, together with the 'construction Aof the strips, permitsV the wings 30 `to conform to irregularities 'in the surface of the glass and to rovide a substantially waterproof and mo1sture-proof contact therewith, at all times. At the same time, the yieldability of the strip allows the relative movement which accompanies expansion and contraction without breaking the glass panes or panels. Also, as the seating strips are forced into engagement with the panels, the folds 31 and 32 along each of the opposite sides of the flanges 26 give a greater freedom of action to the wings 3() and these folds have the additional function of excluding moisture from entering between the flanges 26 and the grooves 34, thereby preventing rusting between these parts.

A cap 40 covers the space 8 and the adjacent marginal edges of the glass panes or panels-6 and 7. This cap 40 which is, preferably, of suitable sheet metal, has a top 42 vand downwardly diverging sides 43, the lower marginal edges of which 'are turned out to form flanges 45 substantially parallel withthe upper surfaces of the glass panels 6 and 7. v

Interposed between the upper surface of each panel 6 and 7 and the-flanges 45 of the cap 40 is a packing strip 46 preferably formed of-asphaltic felt or other suitable packing material. Y

For the purpose of binding or clamping the panels 6 and 7 down upon the seating strips 23, bolts 50 are provided. These bolts 50 are provided with heads 51, engaging beneath the under sides of the bases 21 of the inverted U-shaped mounting members and the shanks 52 pass up through apertures 53 through the bases 21 and 24 and up through the space 8 between the adjacent marginal edges of the panels 6 and 7. The upper` ends of the shanks of the bolts 50 pass through apertures '54 in the packing strip 46 and up through apertures 55 in the top 42 of the cap 40 and have threaded engagement with nuts 56,v by means of which the cap 40 may be clamped down with the panels 6 and 7 firmly seated upon the seating strips 23 and firmly held between these seating strips and the packing strip 46.

The heads 51 of the bolts 50 may be soldered at Y6() to the bases 21, and thebase 24 of the upper gutter 22 may be firmly clamped to the bases 21 by nuts 62, threaded upon the bolts 50. The cap nuts 56 may be of brassand the gutters or troughs 10 and 22, as well as the members 21 and the cap 40, may be of copper or of lead clad galvanized iron or other suitable material. The trough or gutter 10 may be suitably joined as, for example, t0 the framework of the skylight, in any suitable or preferred manner. e

In the embodiment of Figure 3, thebottom carrier bar or supporting channel 10 is inverted with itsbase 12 directly mounting the inner condensation gutterv or trough lltl 22 .y In this case, the lower marginal edges of the sides 14 of the member 10 are turned up at l5', to form outer condensation gutters. The shanks of the bolts pass through the base 12 and on up through the base of the inner or upper gutter 22', on between the panels 6 and 7, through the packing strip 46 and through the top 42 of the cap 4.0 and engage in cap nuts 56. A nut 62', threaded upon the shank of the bolt 50 clamps the base of the gutter 22 upon the base l2 and the seating stri s 23 are mounted upon the upright side i anges 26 of the upper gutter 22 and engage the panels 6 and 7 as before.

The gutter and supporting structure,v

shown in the embodiment of Figure 4, is substantiall identical with that shown in Figure 1. In this case, however, the structure is of double glazed construction, and the lower or inner glass panes or panels 7 0 are surmounted by a second gutter or channel supporting bar 72, preferably with a suitable packing strip 73 between the base of this bar and the upper surfaces of the panels 70. The bar 72 is similar to the trough or gutter 22 and the seating strips 74 for the upper panes or panels 75 are similarly mounted upon the upright side anges of the bar or channel 72 and similarly engage the panels 75. The bolt 76 is elongated to extend on through the space between the upper or outer panels 75 and through the top of the cap 78 and its outer end has threaded engagement in a cap nut 80.

In this case, a sleeve 82, preferably of rubber or lead, surrounds the shank of the bolt 76 and is interposed between the base of the gutter 22 and the packing strip 73, extending into or through the space 8 and interposing a relatively soft barrier between the shank of the bolt 76 and the adjacent marginal edges of the panels 70. A similar sleeve 83 also surrounds the shank of the bolt 76 and extends up into or through the space between the panels 75, and the packing means, between the cap 78 and the Outer surfaces of the panels 75, is shown in the form of a pair of separate packing strips, it being understood that the packing strips of Figure l, as well as the packing strip of Figure 3 may be similarly separated, if desired.

there I refer, in this specification or in the appended claims, to a simple gutter or channel structure, I use these terms as distinguishing from a gutter or supporting structure having channel, trough-like, or other formations for seating or holding the seating strips. y

I do not intend to be limited to the precise details shown or described.

I claim:

l. As an article of manufacture, a seating strip for glass skylight panes comprising a relatively thin strip of sheet metal having a mounting fold extending longitudinally and generally medially thereof, said fold forming a downwardly opening groove for straddling a relatively thin parallel sided iange on a channel-shaped gutter and the top of the fold being adapted for seating down directly upon the upper edge of the gutter flange, substantially similar upwardly extending and outwardly diverging side wings extending from the fold and having their outer edges terminating in a common plane and adapted for seating engagement with the same surface of the glass pane upon opposite sides of the fold, the top of said fold being disposed below the outer edges of said wings to be spaced from and out of engagement with the pane when the outer edges of said side wings are in engagement with the pane and the sides of the fold being disposed wholly externally of the supporting member and unconiined to free said side wings throughout the entire depth of the fold when said strip is in position upon the gutter flange.

2. As an article of manufacture, a seating strip for glass skylight panes comprising a relatively thin strip of sheet metal having a mounting fold extending longitudinally and generally medially thereof, said fold forming a downwardly opening groove for straddling a relatively thin parallel sided flange on a channel-shaped gutter and the top of the fold being adapted for seating down directly upon the upper edge of the gutter flange, substantially similar upwardly extending and outwardly diverging side wings extending from the top of the fold and having their outer edges terminating in a common plane and adapted for seating engagement with the same surface of the glass pane upon opposite sides of the fold, the top of said fold being disposed below the outer edges of said wings to be spaced from and out of engagement with the pane when the outer edges of said side wings are in engagement with the pane and the sides of ther fold being disposed wholly externally of the supporting member and unconfined` to free said side wings throughout the entire dept-h of the fold when said strip is in position upon the gutter flange, the sides of the fold being brought together at opposite side of the gutter flange receiving groove and substantially through the depth of said groove for substantially parallel cooperation with the opposite sides of the gutter flange throughout the depth of the fold to increase the firmness of the mounting on the gutter. In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 28th day of May, 1928.

GEORGE H. LENKE. 

